Saturday, January 30, 2021

End of a full and satisfying week...

 Considering Tuesday was Australia Day holiday and we genuinely took it easy, the rest of the week seemed like an overflowing barrel of apples as I tried to keep life running smoothly and not topple anything over.

But the thing is I really enjoy weeks like this because there is not a moment to be bored and when I look back over the previous days and what was accomplished there is a deep satisfaction to be had...much like the satisfaction of eating thick slices of juicy apple pie. Which reminds me I need to bake one, or perhaps apple rolls as I saw a friend had made the other day and which caused me to salivate just looking at her photo. 

In the last post I showed the fabric and doilies I intended using to sew a new "miracle apron" and now that it's made I can show you how it turned out.



It did do my head in again, but as I was very aware of what to expect things managed to go smoothly. Those doilies became pockets and honest, they just make the apron even lovelier than I'd hoped. When you look at the photo you'll notice I did not cut the top off the doilies but turned over one end for the straight edge these pockets needed.



All the edgings are made with bias binding which gives the apron a really nice finish. I had enough cream bias binding (you need around 5 yards/4.5 metres) and though I would rather have used a soft blue you can't see the binding so I'm rather chuffed.



Blossom has decided to make me another in gorgeous blue 'houses' fabric for my birthday next month which has me very happy indeed. I just LOVE full aprons like these! 

I know now that the original link for this free pattern had disappeared from my original 2015 blog post but a dear reader found another so I have updated it and you'll have no problems downloading this time. Pop over HERE to that original post. 

A new apron means it needs to be broken in and yesterday this was done by scrubbing the bathroom, shower, toilet and laundry from top to bottom. Actually I did such a thorough job that every muscle aches today. Not complaining though...deep cleans are fun to me. I just need chocolate afterwards as an energy boost, which I'm sure you understand, yes?

One appliance that gets a deep clean every 8 weeks or so is the washing machine. We have a front loader and the gasket can get a build up of grime which requires lots of 'miracle spray' and grit to remove. Also a slightly contortionist movement of the hands and arms to get inside the rubbery bits. 


BEFORE...




I pulled out the soap dispenser and scrubbed that, washed out where the dispenser is housed in the machine and polished the glass and everywhere else. I use a paper towel (above) to clean the gasket as it needs to be thrown away, but for everything else I use the washable cleaning rags I made last year and more of the miracle spray.

Once everything is clean I run the machine on an empty cycle with a cup of vinegar as this is great for cleaning the inside of the hoses and removing the remnants of the miracle spray before I add clothes to the next load.



Lastly I tidied up the laundry and scrubbed it down as well, which is when I noticed the window outside needed a clean too. 



I'm a shorty at just 5'1" (155cm) so I needed a high stool to get up and clean it, and then I found it necessary to wash all the windows along the back of the house - do you do that? Start one chore and find it leads you on to many others? I'm renowned for it. Sigh. But as I said before - there's satisfaction and chocolate once it's done. 

I cooled off in the pool after about three hours of non stop scrubbing and climbing and then went out to run some errands. Feeling the need for some floral cheeriness on my desk I came home with groceries AND a bunch of gorgeous pink carnations and the prettiest yellow chrysanthemums. 

It was only as I popped the vase on my desk that I noticed their colours matched my favourite computer wallpaper. 



I was never much for yellow, you know. I still only own five yellow fabrics. Though my car is yellow, nothing much else at home is. 

But things change, people's likes and dislikes change, styles change - and one day you discover a love growing for yellow and suddenly you want to add a splash of it everywhere. That's how my mind is running these days as I "walk the room" and write notes on what I'd like to do or change or repair in each room of the house.




My afternoon was spent cleaning floors and repotting house plants, folding washing and doing the ironing. A long productive day is always a good day.

That handmade tag challenge...

I didn't get to make the fourth handmade gift tag last weekend as I spent the day with beautiful Blossom instead and it wasn't until this morning that I was able to settle into relaxed pottering mode in the sewing room and see what I could come up with. 

HOPE kept swimming through my mind, which in reality was not at all related to the theme for week 4 - Fly Stitch. But there's nothing to stop a girl from combining both so I did just that. 



Very simplistic this one, yet it resonates in my heart. That need to always HOPE, to hold fast to God in all circumstances and never lose hope. 

Now I have the first four tags completed I can start planning week 5's tag theme which is crosses and cross stitch. Here's my first four (I changed some of week 3's scrappy tag today as I hadn't been happy with it initially and now I am)...



The week 3 tag is scrappy lace simply because I love it and have so many pieces.



If you need more info on anything I shared in the post today here's a list of links -

recipe for Miracle Spray  (or read it in my free Homemakers Heart magazine here)

free Miracle Apron pattern

Walk the Room downloadable sheets inside the Homemakers Heart

What is Walk the Room about?  (or read about it and download the latest walk the room sheets in the Homemakers Heart)

#52tagshannemade challenge (or read about it here)



I bought a bag of ten huge mangos at the market last Sunday for $10 and they are still not ripe so today I'm going to make a Green Mango Salad for hubby when he gets home from work. It's full of delicious Asian flavours (our favourite) and I will shred a little chicken through it as well. 

HERE's the recipe I'm going to use if you'd like to try it yourself. We like rice vermicelli noodles so I'll toss them through as well. 



I do hope your own weekend is a joyful one, overflowing with goodness, kindness and renewed HOPE. May the Lord bless you and keep you ever so close to His loving heart.

Hugs 

PS: Memberships to Let's Stitch Again close at midnight Sunday if you'd like to receive the February set of patterns. Pop over HERE to take a look.



13 comments:

Barwitzki said...

Wow ... the apron is wonderful. A wonderful fabric and I like the wide straps for the shoulders and this pretty little bag with the flowers ... just wonderful.
Greetings to you Viola.
Have a happy weekend.

Joanne said...

Hi Jenny,
Pink and yellow, yellow and blue ! green and yellow too ! all great colour combinations in the garden and in the home :)
Thanks for a cheery start to the weekend ! fun photo of the screen and fresh vase of flowers
Yes, if I start to organise or clean one thing it turns in to a " domino effect". I have earned to make more room between the domino pieces :) to shorten the game.
The first four tags look beautiful !
A Winter weekend here to get a few stitches made on Simple Days. Monday is February 1st ! Posies block 2 ! Thank you!
Enjoy your weekend !
hugs,
Joanne

Lin said...

Pretty apron Jenny. Isnt it amazing how a machine that cleans can get so dirty lol. Its a good reminder that I need to clean mine. I can never jsy clean one window - once I start I just have to do them all! Fortunately now most of ours are double glazed large panes which are super quick to do compared to the original 'French' windows/doors that comprised 10 panes each! Pretty flowers and tags - hope you enjoyed your salad, it sounds delicious. xx

Little Quiltsong said...

I cannot believe the energy you have :)! I still have a top loading machine, but have heard about the gaskets of the front loaders, and how they take extra work to clean. Yes, I too tend to start with a 'minor' clean, and it escalates into hours of extra work, but the rewards of feeling an overwhelming accomplishment is well worth it all. I too love cleanliness. Love your cute, cute tags and your last one, with the word hope, is especially a favorite of mine. Enjoy your beautiful flowers and time to relax with your mango salad - sounds wonderful.

Nancy said...

I am going to have to try that miracle spray.
Love your apron. The pattern says to use a 36 inch wide piece of fabric do you cut down your width of fabric to 36 inches? Luckily I have the book. I am going to see if I can wrap my head around those instructions.

Farm Quilter said...

Beautiful apron, but I am totally confused - how do you put bias binding on and it doesn't show in the front? The pattern doesn't address this, nor do either of your posts on making the apron show it! None of your pictures show the inside of the apron, so I am at a loss.

Elizabeth said...

Ohhhh, thank you so much for the apron instructions...love it!! I always wear aprons and have in the past made some for kin...maybe this year I will again!! I love all your work...though at this time I am not into such...I still love looking at yours!!

Julie said...

Your apron is just beautiful Jenny ... as are your tags. I am tempted to join the tag challenge but I have enough on my sewing plate at the moment. And YES - I reward myself with chocolate too my friend (wink) xx

Susan said...

Jenny, your day sounds exhausting to me! If I cleaned 3 hours (and the next time that happens will be the first ever!), that would be it for me for the day. LOL Your flowers and words about yellow reminded me that I never cared for yellow all that much until I found some really soft ones, and then bought a yellow rose that I hope is the scent in Heaven. I'm still thinking about what could possibly make me love pink. LOL Your apron is wonderful! How sweet that Bloss is going to make another one for you. David must be napping nicely now. Or the girls are great babysitters! =)

Ondrea said...

Oh dear! You have quite worn me out just reading about your cleaning frenzy lol. However, I do understand the pleasure and satisfaction such chores bring. A great sense of achievement. I recently cleaned my front loader with a cycle of bicarb and vinegar as well as a bit of a scrub but I can't get rid of the black stain on the rubber. Be careful climbing a stool! Mmmmm mangoes.

FlourishingPalms said...

Your energy for doing housework and deep cleaning is admirable! Thankfully, we don't have a front-loading machine that gets the sort of grime you showed in your pictures. However, I totally get the window-washing thing. I saw some streaks on one of our six, full-sized sliding glass doors, and you might guess where cleaning the ONE led to cleaning all six! For me, that was enough for one day, especially NOT having a restorative pool in which to relax in afterward... you lucky lady, you! I adore the pink and yellow color combo, and especially have lots of yellows in my stash. I seldom leave that color out of a quilt... and as seldom use brown in a quilt. Yes, "people's likes and dislikes change." As for your mangos... I'd love to carry off a bag of unripe OR ripe mangos from Australia! Ours come from Mexico and they're awful. I haven't tasted a mango as good as those you enjoy since being in Aus in 2010... way too long ago. Sigh.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jenny. Thank you for the apron pattern. I have a very similar fabric which I wasn't sure what to use it for but thanks to you I will have a go at the apron (in the future when I can print out a pattern as I have no printer and library doesn't allow use of theirs at present). Also love love your tags. As always with anything you make they are so beautiful. Soft and dreamy and romantic. Just gorgeous. Thank you for sharing all this and more. Thank you Glenise M.

Elaine said...

As soon as I saw the pattern, I remembered it... I'm not sure what I did with the results from my sewing room...
I'm glad you persisted and have had such success with it.